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Battlefield (video game series)

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This article is about the video game series. For the TV series, see Battlefield (TV series). For other uses, see Battlefield (disambiguation).
Battlefield
Battlefield series logo
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Developer(s)EA Digital Illusions CE
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
First releaseBattlefield 1942
September 10, 2002
Latest releaseBattlefield 4
October 29, 2013

Battlefield is a series of first-person shooter video games that started out on Microsoft Windows and OS X with its debut video game, Battlefield 1942, which was released in 2002. The series is developed by Swedish company EA Digital Illusions CE and is published by American company Electronic Arts. The series features a greater focus on large maps, teamwork and vehicle warfare than traditional first-person shooters. The PC games in the series are mainly focused on online multiplayer. The Battlefield series has served more than 50 million players worldwide as of 2012,[1] across 11 games and 12 expansion packs released since its inception in 2007. The series has a recognizable 6-beat sting.[2][3]

Games

Main article: List of Battlefield video games
Titles in the Battlefield series
Year Engine Title Platform(s)
Windows Mac OS X PS2 Xbox X360 PS3 PS4 XONE
2002 Refractor 1 Battlefield 1942 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2004 Refractor 1 Battlefield Vietnam Yes No No No No No No No
2005 Refractor 2 Battlefield 2 Yes No No No No No No No
2005 RenderWare Battlefield 2: Modern Combat No No Yes Yes Yes No No No
2005 Refractor 2 ∓ Battlefield 2: Special Forces Yes No No No No No No No
2006 Refractor 2 ∓ Battlefield 2: Euro Force Yes No No No No No No No
2006 Refractor 2 ∓ Battlefield 2: Armored Fury Yes No No No No No No No
2006 Refractor 2 Battlefield 2142 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2007 Refractor 2 ■ Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike Yes No No No No No No No
2008 Frostbite 1.0 Battlefield: Bad Company No No No No Yes Yes No No
2009 Refractor 2 Battlefield Heroes Yes No No No No No No No
2009 Frostbite 1.5 Battlefield 1943 No No No No Yes Yes No No
2010 Frostbite 1.5 Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Yes No No No Yes Yes No No
2010 Frostbite 1.5 ■ Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam Yes No No No Yes Yes No No
2011 Refractor 2 Battlefield Play4Free Yes No No No No No No No
2011 Frostbite 2 Battlefield 3 Yes No No No Yes Yes No No
2011 Frostbite 2 ■ Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand Yes No No No Yes Yes No No
2012 Frostbite 2 ■ Battlefield 3: Close Quarters Yes No No No Yes Yes No No
2012 Frostbite 2 ■ Battlefield 3: Armored Kill Yes No No No Yes Yes No No
2012 Frostbite 2 ■ Battlefield 3: Aftermath Yes No No No Yes Yes No No
2013 Frostbite 2 ■ Battlefield 3: End Game Yes No No No Yes Yes No No
2013 Frostbite 3 Battlefield 4 Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
2013 Frostbite 3 ■ Battlefield 4: China Rising Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
2013/2014 Frostbite 3 ■ Battlefield 4: Second Assault Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
2014 Frostbite 3 § Battlefield 4: Naval Strike Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
2014 Frostbite 3 § Battlefield 4: Dragon's Teeth Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
2014 Frostbite 3 § Battlefield 4: Final Stand Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Notes:

∓ DLC for Battlefield 2 that was released on Windows Only.
■ DLC that is located directly below the title it was released for.
§ DLC for Battlefield 4 that is currently NOT available on any platform, but will be released at a later date.

Development history

Aggregate review scores
As of January 20, 2014.
Game GameRankings Metacritic
Battlefield 1942 (PC) 88.67%[4] (PC) 89[5]
Battlefield Vietnam (PC) 83.57%[6] (PC) 84[7]
Battlefield 2 (PC) 90.07%[8] (PC) 91[9]
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat (Xbox) 80.63%[10]
(PS2) 80.44%[11]
(X360) 77.36%[12] 		(Xbox) 80[13]
(PS2) 80[14]
(X360) 77[15]
Battlefield 2142 (PC) 79.77%[16] (PC) 80[17]
Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3) 84.79%[18]
(X360) 83.76%[19] 		(PS3) 84[20]
(X360) 83[21]
Battlefield Heroes (PC) 73.13%[22] (PC) 69[23]
Battlefield 1943 (PS3) 85.76%[24]
(X360) 84.90%[25] 		(PS3) 84[26]
(X360) 83[27]
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (X360) 89.03%[28]
(PS3) 88.83%[29]
(PC) 88.34%[30] 		(X360) 88[31]
(PS3) 88[32]
(PC) 87[33]
Battlefield Play4Free (PC) 67.75%[34] (PC) 68[35]
Battlefield 3 (PC) 86.82%[36]
(X360) 85.01%[37]
(PS3) 84.71%[38] 		(PC) 89[39]
(PS3) 85[40]
(X360) 84[41]
Battlefield 4 (PS4) 85.00%[42]
(PS3) 80.50%[43]
(PC) 79.47%[44]
(X360) 77.71%[45]
(XONE) 75.00%[46] 		(PS4) 86[47]
(PC) 81[48]
(PS3) 80[49]
(X360) 79[50]
(XONE) –[51]

Battlefield 1942 was released on September 10, 2002, using the Refractor gaming engine, and introduced the "Conquest" gameplay mode, in which players fought for "capture points" throughout the map. Two expansion packs were released, The Road to Rome and Secret Weapons of WWII.

Battlefield Vietnam, released in 2004, moved the setting to the Vietnam War, and was built on a modified Refractor engine with various gameplay improvements, such as firing personal weapons while seated in vehicles.

The 2005 game Battlefield 2 takes place in the modern day, during a fictional war between the United States, China, and the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC). Despite it requiring numerous software patches due to the large number of bugs and glitches in the game upon its release, it was a commercial success, selling over 2,250,000 copies worldwide, as of July 2006.[52] One expansion pack, Special Forces, and two booster packs, Armored Fury and Euro Force, were also released. A version of the game called Battlefield 2: Modern Combat was released for consoles, with an improved single player mode but more limited online play.

Battlefield 2142 was released in 2006, taking place during a global ice age in the 22nd century. While much of it is graphically similar to Battlefield 2, it introduced a variety of equippable items to unlock and battles between two giant "Titan" airships. Its use of in-game advertising was controversial among players.[53] The Northern Strike booster pack was later released, including new maps, vehicles, and a new game mode.

Battlefield: Bad Company, released in 2008, followed the infamous "B" Company's AWOL escapades and their search for mercenary gold. This new, modern day Battlefield game had modern day weapons, as well as a variety of vehicles for land, air and sea. It had a remarkably realistic destruction system that allowed the player to break, destroy, or create new environments, based on a new next generation gaming engine named Frostbite.

In 2009, EA released two download-only games, Battlefield Heroes, a free-to-play Refractor 2 engine game, supported by advertising and micropayments and Battlefield 1943, a Frostbite engine game, released in July 2009, for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and was scheduled for release in Q1 2010, for PCs, but was cancelled.[54]

In 2010, a direct sequel to Battlefield: Bad Company, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, was released, involving "B" Company's search for an EMP weapon (called a scalar weapon ingame). It had a larger, and arguably better multiplayer than its predecessor "Bad Company", with updated graphics and new realistic effects (e.g. bullet-drop). It also featured a "VIP" system of content distribution where player with VIP codes gain free access to new maps released periodically. DICE also released an expansion for Bad Company 2, Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam.

Battlefield 3 was announced in 2009,[55][56] and in 2010 it was confirmed that gamers who pre-ordered Medal of Honor (2010) Limited Edition or who pre-ordered from origin (in the U.S. only) would receive beta access to Battlefield 3 48 hours before the open beta was released. On February 4, 2011, the first teaser trailer for the game was revealed, with a preliminary release in the Fall of 2011.[57] Among the features that remain in the game are Jets and the ability to go prone. The game still allows 64 (on the PC) players as in all previous Battlefield titles, though the consoles allow for 24 player matches. The Battlefield 3 Beta was released on September 29, 2011.[58] Battlefield 3 was released on October 25, 2011 and has received almost unanimous high review scores and has received awards from IGN.

On November 5, 2010, EASY Studios announced a follow-up to its free-to-play Battlefield Heroes, Battlefield Play4Free. EASY develops the free-to-play variants of Battlefield. Its latest offering gives players the same free-to-play pricing structure of Heroes, while still offering a more serious, core Battlefield experience (as opposed to Heroes' lighthearted, cartoon-styled environment).[59] Battlefield Play4Free went into open beta on April 4, 2011.[60]

On July 17, 2012, an advertisement appeared on EA's Origin webpage that players who pre-order Medal of Honor: Warfighter, would receive access to an exclusive Battlefield 4 Beta. Battlefield 4 was announced on March 26, 2013. A Beta for the game begin in October 1 and ended in October 15. It was released on October 29, 2013.

Gameplay

Battlefield series games usually focus on large, online multiplayer battles, with emphasis on piloting a number of vehicles as well as team-based infantry combat. Playing in squads has also become a major element of games in the series.

Since Battlefield 2, all games in the series centrally record online statistics for each player allowing the players to receive rank promotions and weapon unlocks based on their statistics as well as awards such as medals, ribbons and pins.

A class system has been present within all the Battlefield games. Each class features a different type of primary weapon along with different equipment, differentiating roles on the battlefield.

The ability to melee other players with a knife has always been present in Battlefield games. Also since Battlefield 2142, the series has included an award of dog tags for each player killed using a knife.[61]

TV series

In October 2012, Fox Broadcasting Company announced their intentions to make an hour-long television show based on Battlefield: Bad Company. The show will be written by executive producer John Eisendrath (Alias, Outlaw) and co-produced by Patrick Bach and Patrick O'Brien of Electronic Arts, and Doug Robinson of Happy Madison.[62]

References

  1. ^ Gilbert, Ben (13 August 2012). "Battlefield series celebrates 7 year anniversary: over 0 million served". AOL - Joystiq. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  2. ^ "Bottling Lightning: Recording the Music of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 from". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2011-01-07.
  3. ^ "Music productions". Joel Eriksson. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
  4. ^ "Battlefield 1942 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  5. ^ "Battlefield 1942 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  6. ^ "Battlefield Vietnam Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  7. ^ "Battlefield Vietnam Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  8. ^ "Battlefield 2 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  9. ^ "Battlefield 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  10. ^ "Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  11. ^ "Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  12. ^ "Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  13. ^ "Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  14. ^ "Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  15. ^ "Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  16. ^ "Battlefield 2142 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  17. ^ "Battlefield 2142 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  18. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  19. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  20. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  21. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  22. ^ "Battlefield Heroes Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  23. ^ "Battlefield Heroes Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  24. ^ "Battlefield 1943 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  25. ^ "Battlefield 1943 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  26. ^ "Battlefield 1943 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  27. ^ "Battlefield 1943 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  28. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  29. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  30. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  31. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  32. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  33. ^ "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  34. ^ "Battlefield Play4Free Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  35. ^ "Battlefield Play4Free Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  36. ^ "Battlefield 3 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  37. ^ "Battlefield 3 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  38. ^ "Battlefield 3 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  39. ^ "Battlefield 3 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  40. ^ "Battlefield 3 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  41. ^ "Battlefield 3 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  42. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  43. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  44. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  45. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  46. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  47. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  48. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  49. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  50. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  51. ^ "Battlefield 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  52. ^ "Digital Illusions Interim report January–June 2006". p. 3. Archived from the original on 2006-10-10. Retrieved 2010-05-02. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 2006-10-13 suggested (help)
  53. ^ Klepek, Patrick (2006-10-19). "Gamers Wary of Battlefield 2142's 'Spyware'". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  54. ^ "Battlefield 1943 PC Canceled". IGN. 2011-02-03. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  55. ^ Patrick Klepek (2009-06-10). "Electronic Arts Confirms Battlefield 3 In Development". G4TV. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
  56. ^ Reilly, Jim (2009-06-10). "EA Confirms Battlefield 3 Development". IGN. Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-20. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  57. ^ Release-window announced[dead link]
  58. ^ "Battlefield Official Site". Battlefield.com. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
  59. ^ "EA Blows Up Online PC Gaming with Battlefield Play4Free-IGN.com". Pc.ign.com. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
  60. ^ "EA's Battlefield Play4Free Starts Open Beta". Gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
  61. ^ Ocampo, Jason (2006-10-17). "E3 06: Battlefield 2142 Hands-On - PC Previews at GameSpot". Gamespot.com. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  62. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 8, 2012). "Fox To Develop Action TV Series Based On Video Game 'Battlefield: Bad Company'". Deadline. PMC (company). Retrieved October 8, 2012.

[emphasis added]

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